![[icon]](http://www.journalfen.net/userpic/67365/9138) |
The HMS STFU - Meta Part 2: Ron, Hermione, Jealousy, and Bad Cliches (Part 1)
|
| I also easily forgive Ron. He is one of my favorite characters because he manages to get over his insecurities. He goes through a lot of shit and comes out stronger in the end. The most telling thing about Ron's character, IMO, was his ability to hold himself together and not going rushing off to do something rash after Fred's death. I don't think he gets enough credit for that.
One of my biggest problems with Hermione is that she was never tested in the way that Ron was. She never had to face up to her own issues. She never had to deal with being wrong or making a bad decision. She remains the same know-it-all pain-in-the-ass throughout the series. There's no real growth in her character. | | (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
| The interesting thing is that in many ways she gave Ron a clearer character arc than Harry.
And I cover the jealousy thing in the next post. | | (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
![[info]](http://www.journalfen.net/img/userinfo.gif) lakme | | Link: | (Link) | | Time: | 2009-05-02 04:31 pm (UTC) |
|
| I think Ron's just... likeable. He's hilarious. Some of the best lines in the series come from him.
Also, his knowledge of the wizarding world comes in really handy. I can't stand how the movies give his lines to Hermione because, really, how would she know things like the connotation of the word Mudblood? | | (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
| | From hearing it a lot, then researching it like she does everything else? (Just to be fair.) | | (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
lakme | | Link: | (Link) | | Time: | 2009-05-02 04:34 pm (UTC) |
|
| I dunno, I'm not sure you could find that information, though. It sounds like something you'd more learn in real life.
Unless wizards have some version of Wikipedia or Urban Dictionary, I suppose. | | (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
| One of my biggest problems with Hermione is that she was never tested in the way that Ron was. She never had to face up to her own issues. She never had to deal with being wrong or making a bad decision. She remains the same know-it-all pain-in-the-ass throughout the series. There's no real growth in her character.
This. ^
Yes. Oh my God so much YES | | (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
| Well... in all fairness to Hermione, she does undergo at least some character development. The criticism that Hermione underwent a personality change between OP and HBP has at least some merit. I was discussing it with dontgiveahoot early this morning, and I realized.
It's because of Umbridge.
As I mention in my essay, Hermione was well on her way to becoming another Umbridge by the time she met Harry and Ron and my personal theory is that when Hermione came face to face with what she could have become, it forced her to evaluate her priorities a bit. I'm not saying she had a total change in personality or anything--she's still prone to the whole "I know better than you" thing, she's just not quite so vocal about it. She grows up a bit.
Or at least that's the way I see it. | | (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
| | I don't see any real character development in Hermione, myself. Other than how she kind of "lightens up". And like Ikabod said, it's primarily because Hermione never really has to face herself - she's never confronted with her own weaknesses and insecurities. I see your point about how Umbridge kind of got Hermione to think about what she might become, but compared to what Harry and Ron go through and confront, and how they develop, it's far too little. | | (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
| | Well, when your whole life is building up to something, it's hard to change completely overnight. | | (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
| One of my biggest problems with Hermione is that she was never tested in the way that Ron was. She never had to face up to her own issues. She never had to deal with being wrong or making a bad decision. She remains the same know-it-all pain-in-the-ass throughout the series. There's no real growth in her character.
This is so true. I think that's why I'm indifferent to Hermione. I don't dislike her, but she bugs me most of the time she's on page. | | (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
| The part that got up my nose about her a little was the way she talked like she knew it all about Occlumency in fifth year, and didn't bother to say "O hai, here's a book, plzreadit" *, and then nagging at Harry over it in Deathly Hallows.
That second part in particular shows she has no understanding of what it's like for someone to be reminded of a bad experience that turned into a cock-up all around. No matter how much Harry intellectually knows it'd be a good idea, emotionally, it's all mixed up with Snape rooting around in his mind and Dumbledore not paying any attention to him.
---
* Yes, I realize JKR wanted things to work the way she wrote them for plot reasons, but frankly, if Hermione's learned anything at all about Occlumency you'd bet she'd be eager as hell to master it and show off to Harry that she knows it. And in that instance, he might actually preferred to have learned it all at Hermione's behest and bypass Snape if he could.
| | (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
|
The HMS STFU - Meta Part 2: Ron, Hermione, Jealousy, and Bad Cliches (Part 1)
|
|
